Dear Friends,

As we prepare to celebrate the coming of a new year, I want to take this opportunity to reflect upon what has been a challenging year for both Jewish Americans and for Israel. Now is a critical time in Israel’s history and it is important that the United States make clear to Israel, and indeed to the entire world, that despite some differences, such as those displayed all too publicly this year, nothing will ever divide Israel and America. Indeed, the closeness and steadfastness of this relationship is critical to achieving any potential peace pact.

Israel is a critical and strategic partner for our nation and year in and year out, I spend considerable time and effort defending the Jewish State. No matter which way the political winds blow or who is occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, my dedication to Israel has been immutable.

I have worked behind the scenes and, when appropriate, publicly, to urge past White Houses and this White House to be steadfast in their support for one of our most important allies. When this Administration’s policies on Israel were heading in the wrong direction following the Vice President’s visit to Israel in March, I did not hesitate to publicly declare them as counterproductive, which AIPAC has recognized me for doing.

I helped organize a meeting at the White House with key pro-Israel Congressmen to object to the pressure being placed on our ally, Israel. Over the past 18 months, I have been in constant contact with senior White House and State Department officials and have routinely urged them to reaffirm the importance of the US-Israel special relationship through both action and words. I am pleased to say that my recent efforts have helped move the Administration in a better direction. Most recently, I lobbied the White House to resist proposing its own Middle East peace plan ahead of the negotiations that are now beginning. AIPAC noted that, “When Jewish lawmakers met with the President about Mideast policy in May, it was the Senator who pressed the President not to go ahead with a US imposed peace plan in the negotiations.”

As the rest of the world rushed to condemn Israel, I stood up for their right to self-defense in the wake of the May 31 flotilla incident. I called on the State Department to investigate the Turkish Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH), the chief financial sponsor of the flotilla, for its well known ties to terrorist organizations. To that end, I sent a letter to the President reaffirming Israel’s right to protect itself from terrorism, which Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren thanked me for in a letter this past week.

I firmly believe that the biggest threat to Israel’s peace and security is a nuclear Iran. This past June, I was one of the leaders, successful in pushing for a more aggressive package of sanctions against the Iranian Government for its provocative actions and failure to come clean on its nuclear intentions. I was an original co-sponsor of the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act, and authored many of the provisions that made it into the final sanctions package. I worked tirelessly to move the bill out of the committee as expeditiously as possible and worked with Senate leadership to guarantee a successful floor vote on the sanctions package.

When I first ran for Congress, I vowed to be a decisive and effectual pro-Israel voice in Washington. Thirty years later, I continue to take this vow very seriously, as my actions this past year indicate.
 
Have a Kesima V’chasima Tova, and my best wishes for a happy and healthy new year.
 
Sincerely,
 
Chuck Schumer

(YWN Desk – NYC)